Pump for use in wells



Dec. 4, 1934. J. PENROD 'PUMP FOR USE IN WELLS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April l1, 1951 v IIIIII f 114144145 filial/55.- I

ec. 4, 1934. J. PENROD PUMP FOR US IN WELLS 2 Sheets-Shee, 2

Filed April l1, 1951 Patented Dec. 4, 1934 -UNITED STATES PUMP FOR USE IN WELLS John Penrod, Okmulgee, Okla.

Application April 11,

19 Claims.

This invention relates to fluid lifts especially adapted for use in the recovery of oil from wells. One of the principal features of the invention is especially designed for usein connection with that type of fluid lift in which the working barrel is reciprocated while the plunger is held against movement with the aid of a foot valve and such principal feature will be found to embody simple means in the form of a sleeve movable with the working barrel and adaptable, on each down stroke of the barrel, to descend into operative relation to the foot valve to maintain the same free of the sand that settles from the iiuid being recovered with the result that when desired, the foot valve may be unseated to allow of the expeditious withdrawal of the fluid lift to the surface as distinguished from those prior fluid lifts in which sand is allowed to accumulate and pack about the foot valve and freeze the same in place, in consequence of which the said prior fluid lifts may be withdrawn to the surface only by previously removing the tubing in sections to the surface which, as known to those engaged in the production of oil, is a time-consuming and costly task necessitating the employment of a special crew of men for that purpose, entailing loss of production during the shut down period, and at the same time jeopardizing, in a measure, the forlrner productivity and possibly the life of the we f In further adverting to the means by which the settling sand is agitated and prevented from packing about the foot valve, it is pointed out that after the standing and traveling valves have been spaced the desired or required distance and operation of the pump has been started, such agitatlng means will promptly and automatically assume an operative position with respect to the standing valve and will maintain such position without special attention thereto or adjustment, and will re-adjust itself, should, at any time, the spacing of the traveling and working valves be changed.

In those fluid lifts in which the diameter of the working barrel is limited by the diameter of the tub'ng through which the barrel is passed during installation and removal, the cross-sectional area and hence the capacity of the pumping chamber in the barrel is frequently enlarged by reducing the wall thickness of the barrel to the minimum required to resist crushing and distortion; and the wall thickness of the barrel at one or'both ends thereof is further reduced by threading the barrel for attachment to a crown connector or the like, all of which has the effect of weakening 1931, Serial No. 529,511

the barrel, In appreciation of this, another important feature of the invention will be found to provide for undercutting the crown connector or the like, to dene a sort of annular rib, adapted to interlock with and embrace the adjacent end of the working barrel tube, to strengthen the same and assist in maintaining the required fluid-tight connection at this point against vthe high fluid pressures encountered.

Another attribute of the invention resides in the foot valve arrangement in which certain of the cups thereof are perforated to allow the fluid pressure to assert itself against the inside walls of the cups to bring about the expansion of the cups into fluid-tight contact with the surrounding seat.

The invention will further be found to embody a novel form of combination foot valve shoe and standing valve housing made from a single piece and designed toprovide for the close spacing of such foot valve to the standing valve.

The invention also contemplates novel means between thepump plunger and the surrounding working barrel to combat such sand as may be present in the oil being recovered and thereby prevent such sand from causing excessive wear on the pump parts.

In a pump constructed in accordance with this invention, the plunger may be provided with separate sets o-f sealing devices spaced a greater distance than the length of the stroke of the surrounding working barrel so that the portion of the barrel with which one set of sealing devices has contact will not, during the operation of the pump, come into contact with the other set of sealing devices and in this manner wear is reduced to a minimum and prolonged operation under adverse conditions assured.

The seating or anchoring means for the pump will also be found to constitute another feature of the invention.

Other-objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the improved pump installed, the parts thereof being shown in the positions occupied at the completion of the down stroke.

Figure 2 is avertical sectional view through the upper portion of the pump.

Figurel 3 is a vertical sectional view through the lower portion of the pump.

VFigure 4 is alvertical sectional view through an agitating member embodied in the invention and which is intended to maintain in fluid suspension the sand that would otherwise settle about the footing means for the pump and freeze the pump against removal through the tubing.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view through a slightly modified form of pump seated in a previously used working barrel.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view through the upper portion of another form of pump.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view through the lower portion of the pump illustrated in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the agitating device by which sand is prevented from settling and packing `about the footing means for the pump, parts being shown in section.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown several preferred embodiments o-f the invention, the numeral 10 designates a tubing located within a well and surrounded by the usual casing, not shown. As illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, a combined foot valve shoe and standing valve housing l2 is incorporated in or is suspended from the tubing 10 and has a bushing 14 threaded into the lower end thereof. With special reference to Figure 3, it will be seen that the bushing 14 is formed with a central longitudinally extending opening having the lower portion thereof enlarged diametrically and threaded for connection of the bushing with a tubing anchor 16, while the upper portion of such opening through the bushing is threaded to provide for the connection of a gas anchor 18 to the bushing.

The member 12 is shown in Figures 1 and 3 to have a central longitudinal opening extending entirely therethrough and such opening is constricted between the ends thereof to form a valve seat 20 and upper and lower chambers 22 and 24, respectively.

A standing valve 25 controls the admission of fluid to the chamber 24 and has the cage thereof threaded unto a central annular upstanding boss formed on the upper end of the bushing 14. It is illustrated in Figure 3 that the standing valve 25 is mounted above the lower end of the chamber 24 so that the functioning of the same is not impaired by such sand as may settle from the fluid above.

As shown in Figure 3, the seat 20 constitutes an anchoring means for a foot valve comprising, in part, a tubular Valve body 27, a suitable number of sealing devices 28 and one or more spacing rings 29. Each sealing device 28 consists of a pair of opposed cups having the edge portions thereof rabbetted and interlocked to define, in effect, a hollow body and the upper cup of each sealing device has a plurality of ports 30, constituting a means by which the fluid pressure above may assert itself against the inside walls of the cups to expand the cups into fluid-tight contact with the surrounding seat.

Figure 3 clearly illustrates that a follower 33 is mounted between the cups of each pair of cups and is externally reduced between the ends thereof to cooperate with the surrounding portions of the cups in the formation of an annular chamber for the reception of the pressure fluid by which the cups are expanded into fluid tight contact with the surrounding seat. A jam nut 35 threaded on the lower portion of the valve body 27 holds the parts 28, 29 and 33 in place and is adapted to rest on the annular shoulder 37 formed at the juncture of the chamber 24 and the seat 20. It might be added that the lower cup of each pair has the upper edge portion thereof surrounded by the lower portion of the cup immediately above to resist the tendency of the cups to collapse under the influence of the external fluid pressure immediately above the cups.

In carrying out the invention, the opening through the member 12 is flared immediately above the vertical valve seat 20 to form a guide for the foot valve and at the saine time to avoid close parallel axially extending metallic surfaces between which sand could lodge and freeze the foot valve against removal.

Fluid admitted to the chamber 24 is directed up through the bore of the valve body 27 and the bore of the fluid conduit 42, the latter forming a portion of the stationary plunger referred to in the opening paragraphs of this specification, As shown in Figure 2, the upper portion of the fluid conduit 42 has connection with the tubular body of a packing device 44, which in turn, has connection at the upper end thereof with a combined fluid conduit and spacing element 46. Figure 2 further illustrates that the fluid conduit 46 has connection at the upper end thereof with the tubular body of an upper packing device 48. A closed or blind cage 50 is mounted on the body of the upper packing device 48 and is provided with a spherical valve element 52.

As shown in Figure 2, a tubular outlet member 54 is threaded into the outlet end of the valve cage 50 and is provided with an annular series of radial slots 56 for the discharge of fluid. An expansible cup 58 is mounted on the upper end of the cage 50 and has the peripheral or sealing portion thereof extending to a point above the lower ends of the slots 56 to cooperate with the adjacent portion of the outlet member 54 in the formation of an annular collection chamber for sand. Of course, as a part of each cycle of the pump, fluid is discharged from the ports 56 and this fluid passes through and scavenges the upright cup 58 free of sand. In this manner sand is prevented from working its way in substantial volume below the cup 58 and having destructive contact with the sealing devices 44 and 48. The upper edge of the expansible cup 58 is beveled to define a scraping edge for contact with the wall of the surrounding working barrel to remove from the barrel such sand as would otherwise descend into the region of the sealing devices 44 and 48.

The sealing devices 44 and 48 are shown to comprise cups, the majority of which are inverted, although as shown in Figure 2, one or more of the upper cups of the sealing device 48 may be arranged in an upright position to provide a more effective seal than would otherwise be the case and at the same time to provide for the collection of such small particles of sand as may have worked their way from above.

The movable working barrel tube is designated by the numeral 6i) and has connection at the upper end thereof with a crown connector 62. The crown of a traveling valve 64 is mounted on the connector 62 and is provided with suitable means in the nature of a threaded stem or the like by which the working barrel tube is connected with sucker rods of conventional or other design.

The working barrel tube 60 is shown to embrace the xed plunger and at this point, it might be noted that the length of the spacing conduit 46 is greater than the stroke of the pump with the result that the sealing devices 44 and 48 will be swept byseparate and spaced portions of the barrel. That is to say, the portion of the barrel tube 60 that contacts with the lower sealing device 44 will at no time, during normal operation of the pump in the production of oil, be brought up to the level of the upper sealing device 48 or will that portion of the tube that sweeps the upper packing device descend to the level of the lower packing device. In this manner, rapid wear on the barrel tube is avoided.

It is clearly illustrated in Figure l that the conduit 46 is spaced inward from the surrounding working barrel tube 60 and cooperates with the same in the formation of a chamber 146 adapted for the accumulation of a body of fluid which, of course, takes the form of a column having a greater length than the stroke of the barrel tube.

Such column of fluid acts as an effective barrier between the sealing device 48 and the pressure from below. As is apparent, the barrel is of the inverted type and the tubing pressure that enters the lower end of the barrel is prevented from asserting its full force against the sealing device 48 by the intervening column of fluid in the chamber 146. Thus, the fluid in the chamber 146 will act in concert with the lower sealing devices 44 in the protection of the sealing devices 48 against the pressure of the tubing fluid.

As previously suggested, in small diameter pumps the wall thickness of the barrel tube is a matter of major importance and of necessity is reduced to a minimum. Thus, many barrel tubes lack the wall thickness and strength of larger tubes and the strength of the tube is further impaired by the necessity of threading the tube for attachment to a crown connector 62 or other attaching device. In Figure 2 it is illustrated that such inherent weakness of the barrel tube 60 may be effectively combated by undercutting the peripheral portion of the crown connector to denne a shallow groove adapted to receive the beveled adjacent end of the tube and thereby hold the tube rmly in place against the high fluid pressur-es present at the bottom of a well. In other words, the upper end portion of the barrel tube 60 is beveled and such beveled end is embraced by a depending rib of the crown connector 62 to provide a double seal at this point. This arrangement strengthens the connection of the barrel tube to the crown and at the same time enables the connection thus formed to resist the high fluid pressures encountered.

Coming now to the means by which settling sand is prevented from accumulating and packing under tubing pressure about the foot Valve and freezing the same in place, attention is invited to Figures l and 3, in which it is illustrated that an agitating member in the form of a tubular body is extended into the lower portion of the working barrel tube 60 and is provided at the upper portion thereof with a head 82 forming a sort of piston more or less closely fitted within the surrounding working barrel tube and yet movable with respect thereto.

The head or piston 82 is adapted for operation between the fixed packing device 44 and the lower end of the barrel tube 60 to divide the lower portion cf the barrel tube into upper and lower annular chambers 88 and 99, respectively, of variable volume. Figure B clearly illustrates that a sleeve nut 86 is threaded into the lower end portion of the working barrel tube 66 and is spaced from the agitator 80 to cooperate therewith in forming an annular port 92 by which tubing fluid may enter the annular chamber 90 and by which uid may be discharged from such chamber into the surrounding tubing fluid, all of which allows the agitator to function in its intended manner as will be described.A

The tubular body of the agitating member 8G is shown to loosely embrace the fluid conduit 42 to cooperate therewith in the formation of an annular passage or port 94 open at the ends thereof and forming a means by which tubing fluid may enter and leave the chamber 88.

The tubular body of the agitating member 80 is shown to be provided at the lower portion thereof with a combination contact and displacement element 98 of sleeve-like form and having the lower portion thereof counter-bored to intermittently fit over and receive the reduced upper portion of the foot valve body 27. The bore of the combined contact and displacement element 98 is shown to be provided with longitudinally extending guide ribs 100 contacting with the wall of the plunger 42 to hold the element 98 in line to telescope the upper portion of the body 27. It is clearly illustrated in Figure 3 that when the element 98 is brought down into telescoping relation with the reduced upper portion of the tubular foot valve body 27 a quantity of fluid will be trapped between these parts to form a cushion or dash-pot by which destructive contact of the element 98 with the member 27 is avoided.

The form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive contemplates the tubing of the well with the combined foot valve shoe and standing valve housing 12 incorporated in the tubing or depending therefrom. When the well has thus been tubed the pump isv lowered into the well to bring the'foot valve 27-28, 29 to rest at the upper end of the seat 20 with the result that further downward movement of the pump will bring the sleeve nut 86 of the working barrel tube down into pressure contact with the element 98; and

the element 98 into pressure contact with the body 2'7 so that the weight of the sucker rods is utilized to force the cupsr28 into the restricted intermediate portion 20 of the foot valve shoe 12.

It is important to observe that as an incident to the seating of the pump, the fluctuating chamber 90 is extended to its maximum length and after the cups 28 have been seated, the working barrel tube is elevated to bring about the desired spacing of the standing valve 52 and the traveling valve 64. The agitating member 80 is caused to ascend with the working barrel tube during this adjustment so that for the present, the chamber 90 will maintain its original, or nearly its original, maximum length. As previously suggested, the head 82 is more or less closely fitted within the barrel tube 60 and it is this t that causes the agitator 80 to follow the working barrel.

However, concurrently with the original upward movement' of the working barrel tube 60 to bring about the proper spacing of the valves and, in fact, concurrently with each subsequent upstroke of the working barrel tube, the length and consequently the volume of the upper Variable chamber 88 will be diminished. This is true because, concurrently with each up-stroke of the working barrel tube, the head 82 is raised, while the lower packing 44 remains in a fixed position,

portion of the fluid from such chamber and this discharge takes place by way of the annular passage 94. This downward rush of fluid through the passage 94, as an incident of the up-stroke of the Working barrel tube, will act in concert with the weight of the agitating member to retard the ascent of the agitating member with the working barrel tube 60. Thus, notwithstanding the fact that the agitating member 80 is movable with the surrounding working barrel tube 60, the upstroke of the agitating member will be slightly less than that of the tube 60. As might otherwise be expressed, each up-stroke of the working vbarrel tube 60 is accompanied by what is, in

eifect, a downward creeping of the agitating member 80 with respect thereto.

Since the upstroke of the barrel tube 60 eX- ceeds by a fraction of an inch the upstroke of the agitating member 80, each upstroke of the pump will be accompanied by a reduction in the volume of the chamber and thus in the discharge of a small quantity of fluid therefrom by way of the port 92.

Repeated downward creeping of the agitating member 80 as an incident to the upstrokes of the pump will bring the element 98 of the agitating member into operative relation to the body 27 and the sand that settles into the chamber 22 from the tubing fluid above. That is to say, as a result of a short period of operation, the contact element 98 will be brought into telescoping and pressure relation to the member 27. Of course, as previously stated, a fluid cushion is provided between these parts to avoid undesirable metalto-metal blows.

It is believed to be clear that, as a result of downward creeping of the agitating member 80 on the immediately preceding up-stroke of the tube 60, the contact element 98 will descend into pressure relation to the member 27, prior to the completion of the down stroke of the tube 60 and of course, when this takes place the member 80 will be arrested in its descent while the working barrel tube 60 completes its down stroke. Thus, what is in effect, an upward creeping of the agitating member 80 with respect to the Working barrel tube will take place to compensate for-a previous down creeping and thus the agitating member will maintain an operative position.

The contact element 98 is shown to be substantially greater in cross-sectional area and displacement, than the tubular body of the member 80 with the result that its descent is accompanied by substantial displacement and agitation of the contents of the chamber 22 within which it operates. Such agitation and displacement Will maintain in suspension the sand that would otherwise accumulate and pack about the tubular valve body 27. It is well-recognized and, in fact, is illustrated in many of my own prior applications, that the agitation of fluid about the foot valve of a pump prevents the accumulation and packing of sand about the foot valve so that the unseating of the pump when desired is greatly simplified and rendered more certain.

The manner of supporting the agitating member 80 and causing the same to move with the barrel tube 60 is such that the agitator is entirely self-adjusting to the spacing of the valves 52 and 64 and in this connection it might be noted that should at any time the spacing of these valves be intentionally or inadvertently varied, the agitator will promptly and automatically adapt itself to the change.

The clearance between the agitating member 80 and the various parts with which the same coacts is suiicient to avoidv rapid wear. As heretofore stated, when the agitating member has assumed operative relation to the foot valve 27 the subsequent downward creeping of the agitating member with respect to the upstroke of the working barrel will be very slight. Of course, after long service, as the clearance between 'these parts becomes greater due to wear, what is in effect a downward creeping of the agitating member 80 with respect to the upward travel of the working barrel will increase.

Such increased movement of the agitator with respect to the working barrel will increase the wear on these parts so that ultimately the working barrel will cease to have effective frictional and therefore, lifting contact with the head 82 of the agitator. When this takes place, upward movement of the sleeve nut 86 will result in the engagement of the same with the head 82 to raise the agitator and thereby cause the same to continue to function. In this connection it is noted that the stroke of the barrel is greater than the length of the agitator thereby causing the barrel to pick up the agitator before the barrel completes its upstroke. When this condition exists the ecieney of the agitator will, of course, be reduced, but it will nevertheless function to prevent the packing of sand about the foot valve.

As previously stated, the installation illustrated in Figure l requires that the well be tubed with the combined foot valve shoe and standing valve housing l2, incorporated in or suspended from the tubing, after which, the pump is lowered into the well by the sucker rods to bring the foot valve 27-28, 29 to rest at the tapered inlet end to the valve seat 20. With the foot valve of the stationary plunger thus presented to the seat 20 further downward movement of the sucker rods will bring about forceful contact of the sleeve nut 86 with the contact element 98 which forceful contact is transmitted through the element 98 to drive the foot valve to the seated position illustrated in Figure 1.

As a preliminary to the connection of the sucker rods to the pump reciprocating equipment on the surface, the working barrel tube 60 is elevated to bring about what is thought to be the most advantageous spacing of the valves 52 and 64. Of course, this upward movement of the working barrel tube will be accompanied by a coextensive or nearly co-extensive movement of the agitating member 80. The upward movement of the agitating member 80 with the working barrel tube will be accompanied by the discharge of fluid from the chamber 88 by way of the annular passage 94 and as previously described, the descent of the fluid through the passage 94 combined with the weight of the agitating member 80 will result in what is, in eifect, a downward creeping of the agitating member.

The downward creeping of the agitating member 80 as an incident to the up-stroke of the working barrel will result in the discharge of a portion of the fluid formerly in the chamber 90 and the intermittent downward creeping of the agitating member 80 will continue after the sucker rods have been connected to the operating equipment on the surface and production actually started. Thus, after a short period of operation the contact and displacement member 98 will assume a fully operative position with respect to the reduced upper portion of the foot valve 27 and the sand that settles into the chamber 22 from the iiuid above. The displacement of the contact elementv 98 is ample to bring about an effective agitation of the fluid in the chamber 22 and such agitation, of course, maintains in fluid suspension the sand that would otherwise pack about the foot valve and freeze the same in place. By thus preventing sand from packing about the foot valve, the unseating and removal of the pump through the tubing is greatly simplified. f

In the herein disclosed pump the same may be unseated by simply exceeding the up-stroke a suiiicient distance to bring the sleeve nut 86 into lifting engagement with the head or piston 82 and continue the upward movement to bring about the lifting engagement of the head 82 with the coupling 250, it being apparent from Figure 2, that the coupling 250 provides for the connection of the fluid conduit 42 and the body of the packing device 44 immediately above.

At this point attention is directed to the fact that either during the installation Vor removal of the pump, accidental rotation of Vone part with respect to another is prevented and in explaining this it is pointed out that the ends of the head 82 and the opposed ends of the members Y 86 and 250 are provided vwith-complementary arcuate lugs which, when interlocked, will hold the pump parts against turning, one with respect to the other. o Y l It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that when the pump is operated through its connection with the surface equipment, the upstroke of the working barrel will bring about the unseating ofthe standing valve 52 so that fluid may enter the pumpingchamber defined between the valves 52 and 64. On the subsequent down stroke of the working barrelthe fluid previously admitted to the pumping chamber is discharged into the tubing by way of the traveling valve 64 and the various sealing and sand combating devices herein before'described will provide for the prolonged operation of the .pump under adverse conditions. y

Figure 1 illustrates that the formation of the member 12 provides for the close spacing of the standing Valve 25 and the foot valve of the relativelystationary plunger. l

Between periods of pumping, sand may collect inthe chambers 22 and 24 and when operationisl resumed the flow of iiuid through the chamber 24j will pick up the sandpreviously deposited therein and conduct the same tothe surface while the operation of the contact and-displacement member 98 will cause the sand received in the chamber 22 to be picked up by the agitated fluid so that the sand is conducted to the surface and is prevented from freezing the pump against subsequent removal.

'Ihe showing in Figure 5 embodies much of the matter shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, and the xed plunger 180 is provided with a foot valve 132, adapted to be seated in a previously used working barrel 134 so as to allow of the use of the improved pump without first incorporating the shoe 12 in the tubing. y

In Figure 5 the fixed plunger 130 is shown to be provided with but a single set of packing de- 2 vices 135, although it is obvious that anyappropriate number of sealing devices maybe employed. For example, two sets of sealing devices may be employed in the manner shown in Figures l, 2 and 3, with-the intervening vconnector or uid conduit having a length greater-than the stroke of the barrel so that the upper portion of the barrel will have contact with only the upper sealing device, while the lower portion'of the barrel will contact only with the lower sealing device. Y

The working barrel 1'36 is provided with an agitating member 139 movable therewith and having the lower portion kthereof formed with an enlarged contact and displacement element 140 adapted to be brought into operative relation to the reduced upper portion of the foot valve 132 and the sand in that region.

The form of pump shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 embodies a combined standing valve housing and footing shoe 150 having the upper portion thereof internally threaded for` connection with the tubing 160. The combined standing valve housing and footing shoe 150 has the bore thereof constricted immediately below the threaded upper portion thereof to define an internal annular shoulder 162, the upper portion or surface of the latter being beveled to form a seat 164 for the conical seating surface 166 of an anchoring body 168. vThe anchoring body 168 is preferably in the form of a tubular body of tempered steel formed with an annular-series of longitudinally extending slots 170 defining spring arms having the intermediate portions thereof formed with external protuberances 172 adapted to engage the lower end of the shoulder 162 to anchor the pump in place. The slots 170 are shown to terminate short of the ends of the anchoring body 168 so that the spring arms thus formed are -joined at the ends thereof to the body. In this way, the loss of necessary strength is avoided.'

The protuberances 172 are shown to be provided with upper and lower inclined faces providing a means bywhich the spring arms dened by the slots 170 are forced inward preparatory to the seating of the pump and by which the conical face 166 is held in firm pressure and yet releasable contact with the seat 164. In Figure 7, the upper faces ofthe protuberances 172 are shown to bein pressure contact with the lower end of the shoulder 162 to draw down the member 166 into fluid tight contact with the seat 164.

The member 150 is shown in Figure 7 to have as an integral part thereof, a cage 180 for a standing valve 182. Ribs 184 within the shoe 150 have the upper portions thereof crossed to provide'a stop 185 forv the valve element located immediately below.

In carrying out the invention as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the seat 186 for the valve element 182 may be held against a shouldered portion of the shoe 150 by a gas anchor connector Y190. The connector 190 is shown to be threaded into the lower portion of the shoe 150 and is, of

course, adapted for connection with a gas anchor,

shoulder or rib 194 of the connector 190 to lock the member 190 firmly in place.

The arrangement shown in Figure 7 provides for the very close spacing of the lower standing valve 182 and the anchoring or footing device 168 with the resultV that the efficiency of the pump is increased materially.

.In the form of pump shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the fixed plunger 200is provided with upper and lower sealing devices 201 and 202, respectively, spaced by an intervening fluid conduit 204,

the length of which is in excess of the stroke of the surrounding working barrel 206 so'that the sealing device will be engaged by separate and well-defined portions of the barrel.

The agitating memberg210 corresponds to the member shown in Figure 4, and is movable with the working barrel to prevent the accumulation and packing of sand about the foeot valve.

Figure 7 illustrates that a closed cage 270 is positioned between and provides for the connection of the anchoring member 168 and the relatively xed plunger 200. In this form of invention, the displacement and contact member 275 Vis arranged to telescope the reduced upper portion of the cage 270 so that a fluid cushion is provided between these parts.

It is to be understood that the forms of invention herewith shown and described are to be taken merely as preferred examples of the same and that such minor changes in arrangement and construction of parts may be made as will remain within the spirit of the invention and the scop of what is claimed.

Having thus described the invention what, is claimed is: i j l 1. In a pump for use in wells, a plunger having a foot valve, a movable barrel receiving the plunger, and means carried by and movable with respect to the working barrel and having a fluid passage provided with an outlet directed toward said foot valve and movable into the immediate region of the foot valve to agitate the iiuid in the immediate region of the foot valve. n

2. In a pump for use in wells, a plunger having a foot valve provided with means to holdthe plunger in a relatively stationary position, a barrel'receiving said plunger, and an agitating body of tubular form mounted on said plunger and having a head in operative frictional contact with said barrel to cause the agitator to move with the barrel, said agitating body and the head thereof being movable longitudinally of the barrel.

3. In a'pump for use in wells, a plunger having a sealing device and a foot valve, a barrel receiving said sealing device and a portioneof said plunger, and an agitator having a tubularbody extending into said barrel and surrounding said plunger and vbeing provided with a headdividing a portion of 'said barrel into separate chambers, said tubular a sealing device and a foctvalve, a barrel receiving said sealing device Vand a portion of said plunger, and an agitator havinga tubular body extending into Vsaid barrel and surrounding said plunger and being providedl with a head dividing a portion of said barrel intov separate chambers, said tubular body being loosely mounted on said plunger to form a fluid passage communicating with one of said chambers, one end portion of said barrel being provided with fluid conducting means `establishing communication between the other vof said chambers and the uid exteriorally of said pump. Y

5. In a pump for, use in wells, a plunger having a foot valve and a packing device, a working barrel receiving said packing device and a portion of said plunger, van agitating member having means to agitate the fluid in the region of said footY valve and being provided with -a diametrical enlargement within saidbarrel and dividing the same into upper and lower chambers, said agitator being provided with a llongitudinalpassagecommunicating with said upper chamber and adapted Vfor the discharge of luidl therefrom simultaneously with the up-stroke of the barrel, the movement of said fluid through said'agitator concurrently with the ascent of the barrel constituting a means to retard the ascent of the agitator with the barrel. Y

6. In a pump for usey in wells, a plunger having a foot valve provided with a body, a shoe for said foot valve and having a fluid chamber surrounding the upper portion of said body, a movable barrel receiving said plunger, and an agitator movable with respect to said barrel and being providedwwith a combined contact and displacement member movable through said fluid chamber to agitate the fluid therein and to assume intermittent pressure relation to the body of said foot valve to'` seat the same.

'7. In a pump for use in wells, a plunger having a foot valve provided with a body having a reduced upper portion, a shoe for said foot valve and being provided with a chamber receivingsaid upper portion of the body, a working barrel receiving said plunger, and an agitating tube assoiciated with said barrel and being provided with a combined contact and agitating element having an opening to receive the reduced upper portion of the body of said foot valve to trap a quantity of liiuid in said opening. 8. In a pump for :use in Wells, a plunger, a working barrel receiving the plunger, an agitator extending into the working barrel and being provided withV a head dividing the barrel into upper and lower chambers, there being means dening a restricted Vpassage between said lower chamber and the space externally of the barrel to retard the discharge of iiuid from the lower chamber,

ka sleeve nut, a plunger in the'barrel and having a coupling member, and an agitator provided with ahead between said sleeve nut and said coupling member, said sleeve nut and said coupling member being provided with means to interlock and thereby hold the barrel against turning with respect to said plunger.

10. In a pump for use in wells, a plunger having a foot valve, a movable barrel receiving said plunger, and an agitator having a tubular body between said plunger and said barrel and having means dividing a portion of said barrel into aligned chambers, the tubular body of said agitator being movable with respect to said barrel and formed with a bore communicating with one of said chambers. Y

11. In a pump for use in wells, a plunger having a foot valve, a movable barrel receiving said plunger, and an agitator having a tubular body between said plunger and said barrel and having means dividing a portion of said barrel into aligned chambers, the tubular body of said agitatorV being movable with respect to said barrel and formed with a bore communicating with one of said chambers, there being means urging the agitator to follow the movement of the barrel.

12. In a pump for use in wells, a xed unit having a foot valve, a movable unit cooperating with the fixed unit, and an agitating tube surrounding one of the units in spaced relation thereto to cooperate therewith in the formation of a fluid passage, said agitating tube being movable with re- `spectto both units.

13. In Va pump VVfor use wells, a fixed unit having a foot valve, a movable unit cooperating with the xed unit, and an agitating tube surrounding one of the units and movable with respect to both units, said tube having means to intermittently and loosely telescope a portion of said foot valve and to exert a seating pressure on the valve through the intervening fluid.

14. In a pump for use in wells, a xed unit having a seating member, a movable unit associated with the xed unit, and an agitating tube between the iixed and movable units and being movable with respect to both these units, said agitating tube having a frictional contact with the movable unit urging the agitating tube to follow the travel of the movable unit.

15. In a pump for use in wells, a xed unit having a seating member, a movable unit associated with the fixed unit, and an agitating tube between the fixed and movable units and being movable with respect to both these units, said agitating tube having a rictional Contact with the movable unit urging the agitating tube to follow the travel of the movable unit, said agtating tube having means to exert an intermittent seating pressure on said seating member. k

16. In a pump for use in wells, a plunger having a seating member, a barrel having a uid receiving chamber receiving a portion of said plunger, and a tube slidable longitudinally of the barrel and having frictional contact therewith urging the tube to follow the barrel, said tube being in the region of the fluid traveling in and out of said chamber whereby the movement of the tube with respect to the barrel is retarded.

17. In a pump, a plunger having a foot valve, a movable barrel receiving the plunger, and an agitator between the barrel and plunger and movable with respect to these parts, said agitator having a passage communicating with said barrel to receive fluid therefrom and having an outlet directed toward and in the region of said foot valve to cleanse the same of settling sand.

18. In a pump for use in wells, a xed unit having a foot valve, a movable unit cooperating with the fixed unit, and an element carried by the movable unit and having means to exert a seating force on the foot valve on each stroke of the movable unit, said movable unit being movable with respect to said element.

19. In a pump for use in wells, a fixed unit having a foot valve, a movable unit cooperating with the fixed unit, and an element carried by the movable unit and having means to exert a seating force on the foot valve on each stroke of the movable unit, said movable unit being movable with respect to said element, and having frictional contact therewith urging said element to follow the travel of the movable unit.

JOHN PENROD. 

